Suspension sagging at the rear. What can I do?

[dErZ]

Depending on location give @BognorMotors (South coast), @CRS Performance (Cannock area) or @The Van Cave (South Petherton) as these guys are the best

Sorry just seen you're located ooop North... many have travelled many miles to get their vans perfect so it might mean a nice trip out in the old girl to see one of the above.

 

[Jim Rey]

Depending on location give @BognorMotors (South coast), @CRS Performance (Cannock area) or @The Van Cave (South Petherton) as these guys are the best

Sorry just seen you're located ooop North... many have travelled many miles to get their vans perfect so it might mean a nice trip out in the old girl to see one of the above.

Thanks for that dErZ. I see CRS Performance would be the nearest although still quite a jaunt to Cannock from Glasgow. Might consider this as CRS are the experts.

 

[Lukavell]

You'll enjoy the ride home. CRS know their business well.

 

[flying banana]

You do all know that the front arch is cut higher than the rear don't you? Measuring the arch gaps to the wheel is completely the wrong way of 'levelling' the van. In most of the pics they all look level to the ground if you follow the sill line. If you level it like suggested by all these experts the van will be pointing nose down. Heres the t6 tech drawings from VW. Make your own minds up. I'll leave mine stock

 

[Skyliner33]

You do all know that the front arch is cut higher than the rear don't you? Measuring the arch gaps to the wheel is completely the wrong way of 'levelling' the van. In most of the pics they all look level to the ground if you follow the sill line. If you level it like suggested by all these experts the van will be pointing nose down. Heres the t6 tech drawings from VW. Make your own minds up. I'll leave mine stock

The van should be pointing slightly nose, down. Thats the way they all come out of the factory. ie ground to sill height just behind front wheel is less than ground to sill just in front of rear wheel.

 

[JOG]

I would talk to @CRS Performance - he can ship parts to your local fitter and, best of all, he will provide telephone support to them too

 

[Ozi]

The van should be pointing slightly nose, down. Thats the way they all come out of the factory. ie ground to sill height just behind front wheel is less than ground to sill just in front of rear wheel.

Yep, and you can see that in the diagram too if you look at the bottom of the rear wheel, rather than the line drawn parallel with the sill. Nose will naturally be a touch lower.

 

[CRS Performance]

You do all know that the front arch is cut higher than the rear don't you? Measuring the arch gaps to the wheel is completely the wrong way of 'levelling' the van. In most of the pics they all look level to the ground if you follow the sill line. If you level it like suggested by all these experts the van will be pointing nose down. Heres the t6 tech drawings from VW. Make your own minds up. I'll leave mine stock

A standard van has equal wheel to arch measurements front and back. ( Except the T32 which is 10 mm higher at the rear ) if this is correct the sill line to the ground is 40 mm lower in front than the rear. , take the measurement from just behind the front wheel and compare to same point on the sill just in front of the rear wheel . If this sill line gets close to parallel to the ground with a camper conversion the steering gets uncomfortably light and the vehicle will under steer

 

[Epic-Rob]

I just bought the slightly uprated rear springs from THQ sorted mine out nicely.
I am just running std suspension and wheels, well i say std, i have changed shocks to koni specials (smoother ride) and tyres are AT but same size.

 

[clarinetbcn]

A standard van has equal wheel to arch measurements front and back. ( Except the T32 which is 10 mm higher at the rear ) if this is correct the sill line to the ground is 40 mm lower in front than the rear. , take the measurement from just behind the front wheel and compare to same point on the sill just in front of the rear wheel . If this sill line gets close to parallel to the ground with a camper conversion the steering gets uncomfortably light and the vehicle will under steer

Of course an empty panel van is higher at the rear. It's meant to have the sill and floor level when it's loaded. Jacking up the rear of a loaded panel van or camper conversion above level to make it look like an empty panel van raises the center of gravity at the rear of a very heavy vehicle. Anybody with a rudimentary knowledge of physics can predict the result. You have said you know better than VW, but what you say goes against physics, not to mention the experience of camper owners who know what raising the rear of a loaded van above level will do.

I realize you have a financial investment in selling kits to raise the rear of vans, but no, keeping the van level does not lead to "light" steering. On the contrary, all other variables being equal, raising the center of gravity above level at the rear of a 3T vehicle leads to twitchy steering, oversteer and heightened sensitivity to crosswinds. Those who want a firmer ride can take steps with shocks, springs and ARBs, and will get the best results if they keep the van floor and sill level, not nose down or rear in the air.

Added plus, you don't sleep upstairs with your feet above your head, and your pans don't slip off the cooker!

 

[Stay Frosty]

He's back!

 

[CRS Performance]

Of course an empty panel van is higher at the rear. It's meant to have the sill and floor level when it's loaded. Jacking up the rear of a loaded panel van or camper conversion above level to make it look like an empty panel van raises the center of gravity at the rear of a very heavy vehicle. Anybody with a rudimentary knowledge of physics can predict the result. You have said you know better than VW, but what you say goes against physics, not to mention the experience of camper owners who know what raising the rear of a loaded van above level will do.

I realize you have a financial investment in selling kits to raise the rear of vans, but no, keeping the van level does not lead to "light" steering. On the contrary, all other variables being equal, raising the center of gravity above level at the rear of a 3T vehicle leads to twitchy steering, oversteer and heightened sensitivity to crosswinds. Those who want a firmer ride can take steps with shocks, springs and ARBs, and will get the best results if they keep the van floor and sill level, not nose down or rear in the air.

Added plus, you don't sleep upstairs with your feet above your head, and your pans don't slip off the cooker!

Are you actually a Clarinet player or suspension specialist. I think the thousands of customers we have helped over the last few years may advise sticking to the clarinet based on your comments ?
However !
You are making too many incorrect assumptions in your statement unfortunately , we dont Raise the vehicles centre of Gravity at all just correct it if a Camper conversion is done . We dont set up a T 32 with a ton in the back to be level at all as the load isn't permanent ?? .
Lowering the rear and levelling the van chassis definitely lightens the steering which in turn causes understeer and isnt a good thing . If you go around all the VW showrooms and measure the rake on each van you will find they all rake forward 40 mm approx and the wheel arch gaps are identical ( visually level ) . The only van that doesn't is the California, and even that vehicle has had this problem addressed of late ( since late 2021 )
I dont raise the rear of a van beyond where it needs to be , unless we swamper the vehicle and raise it all up but keeping the rake normal of course .
Dont forget we actually make our money selling performance shocks which is the best way to control body roll particularly in Campers with POP tops because that does make the vehicles top heavy of course . ( maybe have a pop at them Ha ha )
( we dont do camper conversions at all but we do sort the poor ride that often results from these conversions )

Am i missing something here ?? Happy to debate this with you ?

 

[CRS Performance]

He's back!

Where has he been ?? working with Williams formula one

 

[Stay Frosty]

Where has he been ?? working with Williams formula one

He's been on a tour of the Highlands with the seven members of his Dwarvish skiing club and orchestra.
They left Spain with a full tank of fuel, eight sets of skis eight mountain bikes, plus musical instruments and by cruising in 6th gear at all times while keeping to a 70mph speed limit have managed an unbelievable average fuel consumption of 50mpg without blocking the dpf!

 

[clarinetbcn]

He's been on a tour of the Highlands with the seven members of his Dwarvish skiing club and orchestra.
They left Spain with a full tank of fuel, eight sets of skis eight mountain bikes, plus musical instruments and by cruising in 6th gear at all times while keeping to a 70mph speed limit have managed an unbelievable average fuel consumption of 50mpg without blocking the dpf!

Close, skiing for a week in the French Alps at Val Thorens, Méribel and Courchevel. Everything else spot on (sic)!

 

[DickE]

Suspension spacers worked a treat. Decided to splurge on some wheels / tyres while I was at it.
First pic unloaded, 2nd pic fully loaded vs the way it used to be. I'm delighted, thanks Steve @CRS Performance.

View attachment 108836

View attachment 108837

View attachment 108838

So what was the final outcome? Ie springs you ended up with? Looks pukka mate, such a difference

 

[Stay Frosty]

Brother Benny hasn't been seen on the forum since Sept 2021, type soggy bottom boys into the search section and then look up the most recent threads to get an angle on current rear end sag solutions.and there are plenty.